Shanghai Science Hall

Shanghai Science Hall

Shanghai Science Hall is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

A public institution under the Shanghai Association for Science and Technology, Shanghai Science Hall was established on January 18, 1958. Chen Yi, then mayor of Shanghai, personally inscribed the four characters “科学会堂” (Shanghai Science Hall). It is the first venue in China dedicated to providing academic exchanges and science popularization activities for science and technology professionals, and has enjoyed an outstanding reputation in the domestic and international scientific community for over fifty years.

The architecture of Shanghai Science Hall blends both Chinese and Western styles. The main building, located at No. 47 Nanchang Road, is a two-story French classical-style garden house constructed in 1917 with a concrete and wood frame structure. It was among the first group of "Outstanding Historical Buildings" in Shanghai to be officially designated with a commemorative plaque. The courtyard of the main building features a 6,000-square-meter garden shaded by greenery, exuding an elegant and serene charm. On the west side, at No. 59 Nanchang Road, Science Hall’s Sinan Building was completed in 2001. Standing 16 stories tall with a total floor area of 17,800 square meters, its vertical glass structure resembles a majestic sailing ship. The connecting project at No. 57 Nanchang Road was completed in 2006, featuring a 3,300-square-meter international conference hall and 5,200 square meters of protected, restored historic buildings. The connecting project combines modern elements while preserving heritage, creating a blend of old and new that resembles a string of pearls, linking the refined old buildings with the stylish Sinan Building. This connection enables these two structures, spanning nearly a century, to engage in a "scientific dialogue," forming a unified and complementary trio along Nanchang Road from Yandelu Road in the east to Sinan Road in the west, with a total area of over 30,000 square meters.

Shanghai Science Hall is equipped with comprehensive facilities for conferences and exhibitions. It houses meeting rooms of various sizes named after scientists from ancient to modern times, new energy sources, and even celestial bodies and galaxies. The largest among them, the International Conference Hall, can accommodate up to 800 people. Shanghai Science Hall integrates five major functions: conferencing, exhibition, information services, continuing education, and supporting amenities. It has hosted numerous renowned scholars from China and abroad and is suitable for science and technology professionals, social organizations, and enterprises/organizations to conduct various scientific exchanges, networking events, as well as meetings and exhibitions. With strong support from the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, the main building of Shanghai Science Hall underwent a comprehensive renovation starting in 2011. Following restoration, it serves as a high-end venue primarily for scientific exchanges and networking salons among scientists. The future Shanghai Science Hall will showcase its unique charm and rich scientific-cultural ambiance through improved facilities and more humanized services. It will not only be an inspiring hub for science and a cradle for science popularization but also a warm home for science and technology professionals.

In recent years, Shanghai Science Hall has received numerous honors. From 2003 to 2017, it was awarded the title of “Shanghai Civilized Unit” for seven consecutive terms. It has also been honored with titles such as “Shanghai Safe Unit,” “Shanghai Healthy Unit,” “Shanghai Women’s Civilization Post,” and “Model Advanced Collective of the Shanghai Association for Science and Technology System.”

On October 7, 2019, Shanghai Science Hall was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units